Trying to keep track of a list of FBS teams right now is basically a full-time job. Honestly, if you feel like the college football map was put into a blender and set to "liquefy," you aren’t alone. We’ve moved past the era where geographical common sense dictated where teams played. Now? It’s all about television markets and "stability," whatever that means this week.
As of the 2025-2026 cycle, there are 136 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). That number just grew because Delaware and Missouri State finally made the jump from the FCS to join Conference USA. But don't get too comfortable with the current setup. The Pac-12—which was down to just two teams for a minute there—is currently rebuilding itself by raiding the Mountain West.
It’s messy. It’s chaotic. But if you're trying to figure out who plays where before you place a bet or plan a road trip, here is the ground truth.
The Power Four: Where the Money Lives
The "Power Five" is dead. Long live the Power Four. After the Pac-12 imploded in 2024, the remaining big-name schools scrambled into four massive "super-conferences." These are the teams that effectively control the College Football Playoff (CFP) and the billion-dollar TV deals.
The Big Ten (18 Teams)
This isn't a Midwestern conference anymore. It's a coast-to-coast behemoth. You've got Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington playing games in New Jersey and Maryland. It feels wrong, but that's the reality. The rest of the heavy hitters are still here: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. Then you have the "middle class" like Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Rounding it out are Indiana (who had a massive 2025 season), Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Rutgers, and Maryland.
The SEC (16 Teams)
The SEC finally added Texas and Oklahoma, making an already terrifying conference even harder to navigate. If you're looking for the elite of the elite, it’s here. Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss are perennial contenders. Then there’s the "Texas block" with the Longhorns and Texas A&M. You also have Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt.
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The Big 12 (16 Teams)
The Big 12 might be the most fun conference to watch because it’s pure parity. No one knows who is going to win it. They lost their big brands to the SEC but gained Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado (the Coach Prime show). They still have TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Houston, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, West Virginia, BYU, Cincinnati, and UCF.
The ACC (17 Football Members)
The ACC went global—sort of. They added Stanford and Cal from the West Coast and SMU from Texas. It’s a logistical nightmare for the athletes. The core remains Clemson, Florida State (despite their recent struggles), Miami, and Louisville. You also have North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Syracuse, Boston College, and Georgia Tech.
The Group of Six and the "New" Pac-12
The "Group of Five" is now the Group of Six because we have to count the rebuilt Pac-12. These conferences are fighting for that one guaranteed spot in the 12-team playoff.
The Pac-12 (The Rebuild)
Right now, the "Pac-2" of Oregon State and Washington State are the anchors. But the 2026 season is when things get wild. They’ve already snagged Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State, and Texas State. By the time the 2026 season kicks off, this will be a legit, competitive league again.
Mountain West (MWC)
They took a hit losing their top teams to the Pac-12, but they’re surviving. They still have Air Force, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, and Wyoming. To stay alive, they’ve added UTEP and Northern Illinois (for football) to the mix for 2026. Hawaii also remains a full member.
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American Athletic Conference (AAC)
The AAC lost some luster but is still a scrappy league. Memphis, Tulane, USF, and East Carolina are the leaders here. They also have Army, Navy, Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA, and Temple.
Sun Belt (SBC)
Most fans agree the Sun Belt is the most entertaining G6 conference. It’s localized and high-scoring. It features Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, Louisiana, ULM, and now Louisiana Tech.
Conference USA (CUSA)
CUSA is the land of the "newbies." This is where teams go to prove they belong in the FBS. You have Liberty, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston, Kennesaw State, Western Kentucky, MTSU, FIU, and the newest members: Delaware and Missouri State.
Mid-American Conference (MAC)
The MAC is the only conference that hasn't completely lost its mind. It’s still mostly Midwestern schools playing on Tuesday nights. Toledo, Miami (OH), Ohio, Bowling Green, Kent State, Akron, Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and the return of UMass as a full member.
Why the List of FBS Teams Keeps Changing
You might wonder why a school like Delaware would pay $5 million just to move up a division. It’s simple: The 12-team Playoff.
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In the old 4-team system, a school from a smaller conference had a zero percent chance of winning a title. Now, the highest-ranked champion from the Group of Six must be included. That means a school like Liberty or Boise State could actually host a playoff game. That’s worth millions in advertising for the university.
The Independent Problem
There are very few true Independents left. Notre Dame is the big one—they’ll never join a conference unless they’re forced to. UConn is also out there on its own for football. Most others, like Army and UMass, finally caved and joined conferences because scheduling 12 games a year as an independent is a nightmare.
Practical Steps for the Season
If you're a die-hard fan or just getting into it, here’s how to handle this new landscape:
- Update your apps: If you use ESPN or Yahoo Sports, your "favorite teams" might be listed in conferences that don't exist anymore. Double-check your alerts.
- Watch the G6: Don't just watch the SEC. The "Group of Six" race for that playoff spot is often more intense than the race for the Big Ten title.
- Check the 2026 Map: Remember that the moves for Boise State, San Diego State, and UTEP don't officially hit the standings until the 2026 season. For the rest of 2025, they are finishing out their old leases.
The bottom line is that the list of fbs teams is a living document. By the time you finish reading this, another school might have already taken a meeting with a new commissioner. Keep your eyes on the Pac-12; they aren't done shopping yet.